1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of medicines for the treatment of skin, and more particularly to a medicament for the topical treatment of burned, irritated, ulcered, chafed, or infected skin, a method of preparing the medicament, and a method of treating skin with the medicament.
2. Brief Discussion of the Prior Art
Medicines for the treatment of skin disorders and irritations are known. Obviously, different medicines are prescribed for different skin problems. In this description, however, for the sake of simplicity, and although not generic, the term "burned skin" will be used to mean burned, irritated, ulcered, chafed, or infected skin.
"Sofratulle", made by the French Pharmaceutical Company, Roussel, is one of the most popular medicines to treat burned skin. However, compared to Sofratulle, the medicine according to the present invention is conspicuous in at least three important aspects of skin medicine. First, the period of medical treatment is shortened to about one half of the treatment time needed with the application of Sofratulle. Secondly, the medicine of this invention results in the burned skin healing with minimum scarring as compared with Sofratulle. For example, proper treatment of second degree burned skin with the medicine of this invention will not leave any trace of scarring. Finally, the medicine according to the current invention is free from harmful side effects.
The present invention provides a medicament for the topical treatment of burned, irritated, ulcerated, chafed, or infected, skin, as well as a method of making the medicament, and a method of use of the medicament, the medicament comprising: about 36.0% to 85.3% by weight of petrolatum U.S.P. (Vaseline.TM.); about 3.4% to 13.6% by weight of wool fat U.S.P.; about 2% to 12% by weight of a sulfa compounded-ingredient; about 8.7% to 34.8% by weight of zinc oxide U.S.P.; and about 0.6% to 3.6% by weight of disodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate diaminodiphenyl sulfone.
Preferably, for best results, the medicament would be formulated to comprise: about 70.6% by weight of petrolatum U.S.P. (Vaseline.TM.); about 6.8% by weight of wool-fat U.S.P.; about 4.0% by weight of a sulfa compounded-ingredient; about 17.4% by weight of zinc oxide U.S.P.; and about 1.2% by weight of disodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate diaminodiphenyl sulfone. For the purposes of this description, and for convenience, the preferred proportions for the medicament will be used. However, it is to be understood that when such preferred portions are used, unless otherwise indicated, the ranges given above also apply.
The invention also includes a method of preparing the medicament comprising the steps of: admixing in a container, at room temperature (i.e. typically about 23.degree. C.), about 70.6% by weight of petrolatum U.S.P. (Vaseline.TM.), about 6.8% by weight of wool-fat U.S.P., about 4.0% by weight of a sulfa compounded-ingredient, about 17.4% by weight of zinc oxide U.S.P., and about 1.2% by weight of disodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate diaminodiphenyl sulfone; stirring the mixture for about 30 minutes; raising temperature, if needed, to within the range of 25.degree. C. to 40.degree. C.; stirring the mixture again for about 30 minutes at the elevated temperature until there are no residues or lumps of powdered ingredients; and allowing the mixture to return to room temperature.
The invention additionally includes a method of treatment skin irritations comprising the steps of: a) removing visible tiny stones and dirt possibly with sanitary cotton but not with a disinfectant; b) lancing any blisters on the skin surface; c) preparing a bandage dressing by depositing on it an effective amount of the medicament (for example, by liberally coating the bandage to produce a thin 1 to 3 mm layer of the medicament above the surface of the bandage and having an area at least equal to that of the damaged skin); d) applying the bandage dressing to the affected skin area, covering the bandage dressing with a layer of cotton, swathing the bandaged skin area if possible, and leaving the bandage in place for about 48 hours; e) removing the bandage; f) lancing any new blisters; g) dabbing the skin area with cotton balls if the area is watery, but not cleaning with a disinfectant; and h) repeating steps c. through g. until the skin is healed.
Because the medicament works as an effective disinfectant, cleaning the skin area is essentially not necessary, and other types of disinfectant should not be applied to the skin area.
A bandage dressing containing an amount of the medicament which has been applied to liberally coat the bandage to produce a thin 1 to 3 mm layer of the medicament above the surface of the bandage is another aspect of the invention.
Preferably, the sulfa compounded-ingredient is selected from the group consisting sulphadiazine, sulphacetamide, sulphamerazine, sulphamezathine, and sulphanilamide.
A typical batch mixture of ingredients comprising the medicament is as follows: about 14.60 mg of petrolatum U.S.P.(Vaseline.TM.); about 1.40 mg of wool-fat U.S.P.; about 0.84 mg of Sulfa Diazin U.S.P.; about 3.60 mg of zinc oxide U.S.P.; and about 0.25 mg of disodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate diaminodiphenyl sulfone.
The preferred temperature for the admixing and first stirring steps in the method of preparing the medicament as noted above is room temperature, i.e. about 23.degree. C. in a typical controlled environment room, while the second stirring step is preferably performed at an elevated temperature of about 40.degree. C., so as to completely admix the ingredients more effectively by melting them.